Philodendron plant named ‘Xanadu-II’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Philodendron plant named ‘Xanadu-II’, characterized by its dark green, glossy, deeply-lobed leaves; long petioles; and upright growth habit. The new Philodendron is derived from the cultivar Winterbourn, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,030. The new Philodendron is distinguished from the cultivar Winterbourn by its larger and more deeply lobed leaves, and its taller and more upright growth habit. These differences are particularly evident in juvenile plants which have not attained reproductive maturity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPhilodendron plant, botanically known as Philodendron selloum, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Xanadu-II.

The new Philodendron is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofthe commercial Philodendron selloum cultivar Winterbourn, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,030. This mutation was discovered and selected bythe Inventors in July, 1994 as a single plant within a tissue-culturedplanting of the parent cultivar in a controlled environment in Sebring,Fla.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by divisions in Sebring, Fla.,has shown that the unique features of this new Philodendron plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualpropagation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Philodendron has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and/orfertilizer rate, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of the cultivar Xanadu-II. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Xanadu-II’ as a new anddistinct cultivar and distinguish it from the parent cultivar,Winterbourn:

1. Plants of the new Philodendron are taller than plants of the cultivarWinterbourn; this difference is particularly evident when the plants arejuvenile, that is before the plants attain reproductive maturity.

2. Plants of the new Philodendron are more upright than plants of thecultivar Winterbourn.

3. Leaves of plants of the new Philodendron are larger and more deeplylobed than leaves of plants of the cultivar Winterbourn; this differenceis particularly evident when the plants are juvenile, that is, beforethe plants attain reproductive maturity.

4. Plants of the new Philodendron have fewer branches than plants of thecultivar Winterbourn.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Philodendron, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Philodendron. The photograph comprises a sideperspective view of a typical plant of the cultivar Xanadu-II grown inthe landscape about 16 months after planting a single 7-week old tissueculture-derived liner.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe rooted liners that were grown outdoors forabout 18 months in Sebring, Fla., with day temperatures averaging 27°C., night temperatures averaging 13° C., and light levels about 1,500 to2,000 foot candles.

Botanical classification: Philodendron selloum cultivar Xanadu-II.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Philodendronselloum cultivar Winterbourn, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,030.

Propagation:

Method.—By tissue culture or by divisions.

Time to root tissue-cultured liners.—About seven weeks.

Rooting habit.—Very thick, fleshy; typical of species.

Pseudobulbs.—Not observed.

Plant description:

Plant size.—Height: About 90 to 100 cm. Width or spread: About 160 to180 cm.

Growth habit.—Stem is upright; about 5.5 to 6.7 cm in diameter. Leavesclosely spaced without internodes, forming compact crowns with about 22to 30 leaves per stem. Plants typically with 4 to 6 crowns.

Crop time.—From rooted liners, about 8 to 9 months are required toproduce finished plants in 15-cm containers.

Stem color.—Browner than, but closest to 199A. Leaf scars, 196A.

Stem length.—About 12 to 20 cm from soil level to base of youngest leafpetioles.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate. Length: Largest leaves areabout 30 to 35 cm; average-sized leaves are about 21 to 27 cm. Width:Largest leaves are about 23 to 27 cm; average-sized leaves are about 19to 22 cm. Thickness: Moderate. Aspect: Undulate; leaf blade tilts upwardfrom midrib and primary veins. Shape: Ovate. Margin: Pinnatifid; withabout 9 pairs of lobes. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: Newlyexpanded leaves, upper surface: Darker and greener than, but closest to144A; midrib, 146C streaked with 178A at petiole; primary veins, 146Cstreaked with 178A at petiole. Newly expanded leaves, lower surface:146B to 146C; midrib, 178B often with blotches of 145C; primary veins,178B often with blotches of 145C. Mature leaves, upper surface: 137A;midrib, 146B flushed with 200B to 200C at petiole; primary veins, 146Bflushed with 200B to 200C at petiole. Mature leaves, lower surface:147B; midrib, 145B flushed with 178A to 178B at petiole; primary veins,145B flushed with 178A to 178B at petiole. Midrib: Straight, thick;upper surface, recessed; lower surface, protruding. Primary veins: Uppersurface, sunken; lower surface, protruding. Petiole (petiole of fourthexpanded leaf from the apex): Aspect: Straight and upright; about 30 to40° from vertical axis. Length: About 45 to 56 cm. Diameter,mid-section: About 1.1 to 1.5 cm. Color: 146C flushed with 200B to 200Cnear the junction with leaf base. Petiole sheath: Shape: Elongate. Size:About 7 cm by 1 cm. Texture, both surfaces: Smooth. Color, bothsurfaces: 146C; towards margin, 145C; tinged with 200C to 200D.Cataphylls: Shape: Triangular. Length: About 17 to 30 cm. Width: About 8to 10 cm at the base. Texture, both surfaces: Smooth. Color: Outersurface: 146B; towards margin, 146C to 146D. Inner surface: 155B.

Inflorescence description: Typical of the species; not commerciallysignificant. Flowering recurrent; spathe and spadices arranged on erectpeduncles; inflorescences last about four weeks on the plant.

Spathes.—Shape: Roughly ovate with pointed apex. Length: About 12 cm.Width: About 3.5 cm. Texture, both surfaces: Smooth. Color: Outersurface: Dull dark red suffused with green towards the base and somewhatlighter towards the apex. Inner surface: Towards the base, pale pink;towards the apex, cream-colored. Spadix color: Apex, cream-colored;mid-section and base, pink. Peduncles: Dull olive green; smooth. Seed:Seed production has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Plants of the new Philodendron have not exhibitedresistance to pathogens common to Philodendron.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Philodendron plantnamed ‘Xanadu-II’, as illustrated and described.